St. Francis School celebrates Blue Ribbon Award

During a special Mass at St. Francis de Sales Church in Lake Zurich today, the Rev. David Ryan spoke about the parish school being honored with a national Blue Ribbon Award.

Students and teachers didn't really need a plaque or letters from government officials to know they're part of a strong academic program, he said.

"We should have already known that we are a Blue Ribbon school," Ryan told the packed chapel.

Even so, Ryan said, it's nice to get the honor. Hence this morning's celebration, which recognized the school being honored by U.S. Education Department.

With a student body composed of preschoolers through eighth-graders, St. Francis was among 19 Illinois public and private schools that received No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Awards at a Washington, D.C., ceremony in November.

Nationally, 287 schools received the honor.

A representative from the Education Department presented the award to the school today as part of Catholic Schools Week. Two other Catholic schools in Lake County, Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein and St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic School in Fremont Township, were similarly honored Tuesday.

It was the first Blue Ribbon Award for St. Francis, officials said.